Chai Cancer care appoints new CEO

Chai Cancer Care has appointed a new CEO to take the helm at the Jewish community’s leading cancer support charity.

Victoria Portnoi will take up the role in February after Lisa Steele steps down after more than 12 years as the head of the organisation.

The move is a career change for Portnoi, who has spent the last 25 years in television, most recently as managing director of Slider TV.

However, she is no stranger to working in the Jewish community, having completed a four-year stint as chair of Brondesbury Park Synagogue in May.

Portnoi, originally from Manchester, will work closely with Chai’s chairman, Louise Hager, to develop and expand the organisation’s services and reach.

Portnoi said: “It is an enormous privilege and honour to be joining Chai as CEO at this important period in its development. We all know someone whose life has been affected by cancer, and I look forward to working with the trustees and the dedicated Chai team across the UK to help ensure that Chai provides the very best support and care that is the hallmark of the organisation.

“Lisa’s vision and commitment have been critical to Chai over the years, and I wish her the very best for the future.”

Louise Hager said that the appointment of Portnoi had followed a thorough recruitment process that saw numerous applicants put themselves forward for the role.

Hager said: “We are so pleased to welcome Victoria and for Chai to benefit from the multifaceted experience she brings to the role,” including “a strategic approach and creative thinking…together with extensive experience of managing both professional and volunteer-led teams.

"This will be essential as she takes the helm at an organisation with over 250 staff and volunteers, providing 70 services from 11 centres across the country.”

Hager added that the demand for Chai’s services had “never been greater” and that Portnoi would “play a major part in implementing our exciting plans, enabling Chai to continue to lead and innovate in the field of supportive cancer care, for our community and beyond”.

Paying tribute to Steele, who first joined Chai as a volunteer counsellor in 2001, Hager said: “We are all, of course, sad to see Lisa leave. We have worked together for over two decades and her dedication and contribution to Chai’s significant expansion have been immense. Lisa will always be an integral part of the Chai family, and we wish her much happiness as she looks to spend more time with her grandchildren.”

Steele, who will be leaving her CEO position at the end of January, said: “It has been one of the greatest privileges of my working life to have led Chai as CEO for the past 12 years and to have played a part in delivering our extensive range of specialised services to those affected by cancer in our community.

"I wish Victoria tremendous success, and I have no doubt she will take the organisation from strength to strength.”

Chai’s services for those affected by cancer and their family and friends include therapies and complementary therapies, group activities and counselling.

It also runs the groundbreaking Chai Medical Clinic, which offers medical outpatient rehabilitation and a palliative care service.